Beginning Oct. 1, Foley will transition to one time per week garbage pickup.

According to city leaders, this change is necessary to hold the current cost of sanitation pickup and postpone the need for increases in the future.

A map showing the new schedule for garbage pickup by neighborhood is available at Foley City Hall, Foley Public Works or on the city’s website at www.cityoffoley.org. There will be no changes in the recycle or debris collection schedule at this time; however, bulk item pickup will change from Wednesday to Monday, according to Dan Hellmich, Foley public works superintendent.

New recycling carts that hold more than three times as much as the current 18 gallon bins are available, and will help offset the change from two garbage pickup days to one. Recycling will continue to be picked up one day a week, allowing families who recycle two opportunities for pickup, one for garbage and one for recycling. Items that can be recycled include: papers, cardboard, tin and aluminum cans and plastic containers.

Over 800 of the new 64 gallon recycle carts have been delivered to Foley residents, and the city has just received 864 more carts, according to Hellmich. Residents can call the Public Works Department at 251-943-8897 to be placed on the list to receive one. The new carts, which have wheels, hold much more and are easier to handle. The smaller 18 gallon bins are also still available.

Foley’s first automated garbage truck has been ordered and is expected in the near future, according to Hellmich. Some neighborhoods have already received the new garbage cans required for the automated pickup, identified with the word "Toter."

The public works department asks that residents who receive the new garbage cans please assist by placing the new cans properly according to the directions printed on the can, in an open area next to the curb or the street. For this system, the handle points toward the house rather than the street.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Foley Public Works at 251-943-8897.